ZIP code
23707
in Portsmouth, VirginiaPopulation 14,766
42.33/ 100
Ranked #24,955 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 22%)
Ranked #730 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 16%)
Ranked #118 of 123 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ZIPs (bottom 4.1%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Subsidized affordable housing
921 units
in the top 1.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
18.4%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
47%
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
0 ppb
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
US1stDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Walkability
160 intersections/sq mi
in the top 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
0.00%
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
42.8%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.21 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
15.2%
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
34.2%
in the top 8.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both flood exposure and the share of households without a vehicle.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
Overall, ZIP 23707, one of several in Portsmouth, Virginia places in the bottom 22% nationally (24,955th) and the bottom 16% of Virginia (730th).
The data opens on real and measurable burdens: outer-floodplain exposure stands in the top 2.1% nationally, and housing-cost burden registers in the top 4.4% nationally. Modeled tree cover settles at the national minimum, and short sleep sits in the top 7.0% nationally. Households without a vehicle lies in the top 7.2% nationally. More encouragingly, subsidized affordable housing rests in the top 1.7% nationally, lead in tap water resides at the national minimum, and walkability is in the top 4.8% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Elder services stands in the top 6.8% nationally.
Beside the areas that surround it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 23508, just across the boundary.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts. Compare it against the US, this state and the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 35%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 18%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 18%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 16%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 90%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 29%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 28%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 87%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 15%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 10%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 6%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 33%
5%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Findings that name this ZIP
2 of our published findings list this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 73.6 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $48,926 predicts 77.3 years — 3.7 years below.
Ranked #4,823 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 73.6 ± 1.5 years. The 43 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 76.2 years — 2.6 years below them.
Ranked #2,013 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
23508
Virginiashares a border
Score 52.76
Closest healthier
23701
Virginiashares a border
Score 48.82
Similar health profile
64601
Missouri99% similar profile
Score 42.74
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 29.2% | 26.1–32.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.8% | 36.9–44.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.7% | 6.1–7.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.7% | 11.2–14.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.2% | 6.5–8.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.9% | 7.9–9.9 |
| Depression among adults | 24.3% | 20.9–28.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.4% | 14.5–18.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.5% | 34.4–42.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.9% | 34.0–48.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.3–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.6% | 14.5–20.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.0% | 9.4–12.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.7% | 75.0–80.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.2% | 75.7–82.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.0% | 83.0–86.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.1% | 61.2–70.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.7% | 53.0–60.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.9% | 67.4–81.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.1–16.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.0% | 15.7–20.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.9% | 26.7–35.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.8% | 36.8–48.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.5% | 22.7–28.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.1% | 17.9–22.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.1–17.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.8% | 16.8–21.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.1% | 33.9–42.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.0–7.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.5–13.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.7% | 16.6–20.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.6% | 7.0–8.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.4% | 21.0–28.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 24.4% | 21.4–27.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 24.4% | 21.7–27.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.0% | 16.6–21.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 11.7–14.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 37.7% | 32.5–42.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 14.1% | 12.4–15.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 26.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 25.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860 |
| Households without a vehicle | 15.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 47.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862 |
| Homeownership rate | 56.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874 |
| Single-parent households | 36.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 16.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 37.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $48,926 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $230,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789 |
| Median gross rent | $1,101 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,144 ($742–$2,191) n=615 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 73.6 yr ± 0.77 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 77.6 yr (74.5–81.4) n=826 |
About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 0.77 years of 73.6, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured